CITY’S WATER SUPPLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19530, 13 July 1925, Page 4

CITY’S WATER SUPPLY.

THE WAIPORI UNDERTAKING. VAST STORAGE CAPACITY. COST OF COMPENSATION. “The year 1024-1025 provides a very distinct ‘milestone” in the history of the Waipori hydro-electrical undertaking,” states the town clerk (Mr O, A. Lewin), in his animal report for the period ended March 31, 1025. ‘‘A very pronounced stop in the progress of the venture was hastened by two circumstances of recent occurrence — first, the experience of the flood of April 1023, then the long period of drought that came at the end of 1023 and during the early months of 1021. “Paradoxical as it may seem, these two incidents —a flood and a drought—hastened the prosecution of a policy having for its object increased storage provisions on the Waipori Flat. The flood of. 1023, in its Intensity, was not nearly so severe at Winpori as it was in the city. Had it been so there is reason to fear that the result may have been positively disastrous, in so far as the safety of the power station was concerned. Happily, however, the damage done on the occasion in question was of only a minor order; but the lesson was there, and prudence called for action to meet future possibilities of a like nature. Then the lesson of the drought period, with its new minimum flow in the river, clearly demonstrated the need for early provisions for a vigorous conservation policy. “Fortunately, both of these requisite provisions could be met by action along the same line. That line was obviously the erection of a dam or wall in the main river that would not. only store a sufficiency of water to meet the growing demand for electrical energy, hut would, at the same time, provide a margin of storage behind the dam. By this moans any abnormal downpour would be held back, and thereby provide facilities for allowing the run-off to extend over days instead of being hurled down the gorge in a few hours. “Accordingly, action was taken towards the close of 1923 with a view to obtaining the necessary statutory authority to raise (he dam in the river. It was recognised from the outset that many difficulties had to be overcome. The area to he flooded was included in the goldfields, and, while the mining industry in the area to be affected had been languishing for many years, it was fully recognised that interests of a tangible description had to be dealt with —to say nothing of the equally, if not more difficult, task of disposing of claims based on less tangible grounds. “The experience, extending over the many months during which the negotiations have spread, has amply justified those fears. It is certainly to be admitted that some of those still engaged in the industry within the area to be affected by our operations were exceedingly well endowed with at least two of the cardinal virtues. Their faith in the future goldyielding capacity of the area appeared to be equalled only, by their hope that ’nothing would intervene to interfere with the council’s proposals to flood the area and compensate them for their estimated losses. EXTRAVAGANT CLAIMS. “That, again, was a paradox, hut it was the only conclusion that could reasonably bo adduced from the extravagant claims that were mado on behalf of some of the claimants regarding the prospect of winning gold from the area that would bo submerged. If failh in the gold-bearing capacity of the area had, at least for many years, provided little but a hope deferred, the prospect of ‘something doing’ was at. once enhanced by the proposal to flood the area. The conviction was irresistibly forced upon us that the average seeker after the precious metal, as typified at Waipori, was the most cheery optimist it, would be possible to meet. In other words, the claimants and those acting for them had an abundant store of faith and hope, and we were entreated to give a like manifestation of that other fervent virtue that is said to cover a multitude of misdoings. Wo were enjoined to be not only just, hut generous, in. our attitude Just how far the decisions finally arrived at were marked by any semblance of the virtue that sufforcth long, and _ is kind, opens up matters of controversy that would bo out of place hero. “The Minos Department, having satisfied itself that, from a public policy point of view no valid objection could bo mode to the flooding of the area, promised that no objection would be raised in Parliament when our Bill came up for consideration This undertaking was given, however, on the distinct understanding that the Bill would contain a provision providing for full compensation to the owners of all mining privileges to lie affected by the exorcise ol the powers wo were seeking. It was further intimated that, if possible, the settlements should be agreed upon before the Bill was introduced. AGREEMENT ARRIVED AT. “The Minister of Mines, the Hon. G. J. Anderson, was moat helpful, and in Fcbru ary of 1924 he visited Waipori in company with Mr A. H. Kimholl, the Under-Secre tary of the department, and addressed a meeting of minora and others. Ho made it perfectly clear that the Mines Department could not adopt a ‘dog in the manger attitude regarding the area. Mining was languishing, and the gold returns for the previous year did not warrant the Goovrnment in raising objection to the City Council’s proposals to utilise the area as a storage site, and thus extern! the electrical supply for Otago. The Minister also kindly offered the services of Mr Kimboll as mediator in attempting to bring the parties together when disouscing the assessments oAho mining claims. “In March 1924,’ the sub-comnutteo of the council dealing with the matter (the Mayor, Cr Shaddock, the town clerk, and the electrical engineer) spent two days at Waipori with Mr Kimbeu, and made some headway in assessing the claims. the matter ’drifted on, however for some time after that, and meanwhile the Bill was pro ccedod with and formally introduced into Parliament. The subcommittee that bad handled the negotiations from the initial stages proceeded to \\ ell.ngton aind in turn appeared before the Local Bills Committee, the Lands Committee, and the Mines and Goldfields Committee of the House In each instance some opposition was in evidence, but finally the Bill, aftei having been subjected to a few minor alterations, was passed, and now finds a place on the Statute Book. , ~ “During November Mr A. TI. Kimbeli, Under-Secretary of the Mines Department sat at Lawrence to .consider the claims of the Golden Crescent Sluicing Company and the Lawrence Sluicing Company under an agreement that hat! been made between those companies and the City Council prior to the passing of the Act. Subsequently he gave his award, in which each of the two companies was to receive £7OO. U should be mentiotied here that the agree ment under which this award was made had only an indirect bearing upon the passing of the Bill in the terms above sot out and was by no moans a payment based solely upon the exercise by the city _of tho powers granted to us by the passing of the Act. COST OP COMPENSATION. “It remains now only' to show the cost to the council of tho compensation due to tho exorcise of tho powers granted by the Act. To the sum of £119,040 is to bo added the" amounts subsequently agreed upon, in addition to tho heavy payment of £26,000 to R. Cotton and Son. Ihe settlement with Daniel Carlin for an anmiiiy of 10s per week was at. a later date readjusted on the basis of a cash payment of £230, and at tho lime of writing the position may bo summarised a.s follow: — Amount as per page £19,040 R. Cotton and Son 26,009 D. Carlin 230 Lawrence Sluicing Company ... lOJ Golden Crescent Sluicing Company 700 Roman Catholic Church 200 Church of England 200 Mrs Johnson 500 Commonage Trustees 35 £47,605 “Tb?re arc other claims that will arise as the works proceeds, but for the most pari tivy are not likely to bo heavy. A considerable area of the township site has yet to be provided for, but the values are not, high, and wo have settled for town sections on the basis of about £lO per section. Probably a safe figure at which to estimate tlie.se claims still in abeyance would lx 1 £3OOO, and if that should prove a fairly close approximation then tho total cost for compensation will amount to a shade over £50,090. "One is free to admit that tho amount i- much higher than wo Hoped to finish up with when sotting out on the task: but the question of assessing various interests in vested rights that are injuriously affected